Bhutan Samcholing: A Rare Green Tea from the Heart of Bhutan

Hello, tea lovers! It’s Vedika, your tea sommelier and guide to all things tea. Today, I’m taking you on a journey back to one of my favorite places on Earth, the mystical kingdom of Bhutan. But this time, we’re not just exploring its breathtaking landscapes and unique culture. We’re diving into the heart of its tea fields, the source of the rare and exotic Bhutan Samcholing Green Tea.

My journey with Bhutan began in 2019, when my husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in this beautiful country. We were captivated by the country’s beauty, its Gross National Happiness index, and the warmth of its people. But little did I know then that Bhutan held another treasure that would later captivate my tea-loving heart.

Fast forward to a month ago, when I discovered that Bhutan, the land of Thunder Dragon, also grows tea! I was intrigued and excited, and I knew I had to taste this tea and share my experience with all of you.

How it all began

The story of Bhutan’s tea begins in the 1950s at the summer palace of the second king of Bhutan. The king, a visionary, planted the seeds of Darjeeling tea, a gift from a foreign land. The seeds sprouted, and the tea fields flourished, but for decades, they served as mere ornamental plants, their true potential untapped.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that the tea leaves, still growing on the grounds of the Winter Palace, were discovered by Sebastian Beckwith, a fellow tea enthusiast. With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and a Korean botanist, the villagers of Samcholing learned the art of making green tea, and thus, the Bhutan Samcholing Green Tea was born.

Today, the tea fields of Samcholing stretch across 43 acres, operated by a collective of 26 women. These women, the guardians of the tea fields, hand-pick the leaves, pan-fire them, and roll them into a simple twisted shape. Their labor of love results in a limited quantity of this precious tea each year, making it a rare and exotic treasure.

Brewing Instructions

To fully appreciate the Bhutan Samcholing Green Tea, it is essential to follow the correct brewing instructions. Here’s how I brewed this tea:

1. Measure out 2.5g of the tea leaves.

2. Heat 150ml of water to 85 degrees Celsius. A temperature-controlled kettle can be handy for this, but if you don’t have one, heat the water to a boil and then let it cool for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the hot water to the tea leaves and let them steep for 3-4 minutes. This allows the leaves to unfurl and release their full flavor.

4. After 4 minutes, strain the tea into your cup, ensuring no leaves are left in the brew.

Taste notes

When I first tasted the Bhutan Samcholing Green Tea, I was immediately captivated. With a bright, sweet flavor reminiscent of a Chinese green tea, it carries vegetal notes of coriander and lemon peel, and a delicate floral aroma. Unlike many green teas, the leaves can stand up to multiple steepings, each one revealing a new facet of its complex character.

One Gewog One Product (OGOP)

The One Gewog One Product (OGOP) initiative has been instrumental in supporting the tea farmers of Samcholing. From pre-production planning to post-harvest technologies and marketing of crops, OGOP has helped the farmers to better equip themselves to feed their families and communities and reduce post-harvest losses. It’s like a fairy godmother, but for farmers!

The people of Samcholing, the custodians of this green gold, live a simple life, deeply connected with nature. Their lives revolve around the tea fields, and their stories are steeped in the tea they produce. They are the unsung heroes of this tale, their hands crafting the magic that is the Bhutan Samcholing Green Tea.

So, there you have it, the enchanting tale of Bhutan’s Samcholing Green Tea. A tale of vision, discovery, hard work, and the creation of something truly unique. A tale that reminds us that sometimes, the most extraordinary things come from the most unexpected places. And if that doesn’t make you want to try a cup of this magical tea, I don’t know what will!

You can watch all my Bhutan vlogs on my YouTube channel below: